ALGOMA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The iconic Rosie's Diner, which has sat closed in Rockford, is being relocated to Alabama for restoration.
WATCH: Rosie's Diner headed south for next chapter
New owner Brian Barnett is moving the famous diner to Hammondville, Alabama, after purchasing it along with the Old Bar Diner five months ago.
"I started trying to buy one in Massachusetts, and that deal fell through, and this diner came up," Barnett said.
Workers were busy on Monday preparing the front half of the diner for its move. Barnett plans to restore both diners to their original glory.
"Everyone wants to leave it as a restaurant. It's always been a restaurant, so it should remain that," he said.
Rosie's Diner gained fame in the 1970s when Bounty paper towel commercials were filmed inside. That nostalgia is what motivated Barnett to preserve the historic establishment.
"I remember when I was still eating cereal as a toddler, seeing the Bounty Quicker Picker up in commercials. And I used to run around, chant that as a child, and then here I am, 50 years later, working on the thing," Barnett said.
The back half of Rosie's and the other diner are scheduled to be moved on Tuesday. A third diner on the site was not purchased and will remain.
Those interested in supporting the restoration effort can CLICK HERE to see the project's GoFundMe page.
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